# 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
> NHTSA complaint `1221133` · 2015-09-21 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 2
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** Yes
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** PRIUS
- **Year:** 2006
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- **Miles at failure:** 103,000
## Narrative
MY WIFE [XXX] HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE VICTORIAN ON MAIN ST IN SANTA MONICA ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2. FROM STANDSTILL, HER 2006 PRIUS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A VERY HIGH RATE ON ITS OWN AND THE CAR'S BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY NON-RESPONSIVE. IN THIS RELATIVELY CONFINED PARKING AREA, AFTER A FRIGHTENING PERIOD OF TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SHE MADE A SPLIT-SECOND DECISION TO CRASH INTO A TREE AT A RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED IN ORDER TO AVOID STEERING THE CAR ONTO MAIN ST. AND CAUSING A MUCH MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED MANY PEOPLE, AUTOMOBILES AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY AND POSSIBLY RESULTED IN MULTIPLE DEATHS AND MULTIPLE SERIOUS INJURIES.    SHE SUSTAINED A BROKEN FOOT. HER PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISING. BOTH WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL.    BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE 2 OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. AS A RESULT, AND ONLY BECAUSE OF [XXX] QUICK THINKING AND POTENTIALLY SACRIFICIAL ACTION, [XXX], HER PASSENGER AND MANY OTHER NON-SUSPECTING PEOPLE ARE ALIVE TODAY.    IT IS APPARENTLY WELL-ESTABLISHED THAT THE PRIUS CAN ACCELERATE IN THIS MANNER. IN THIS CASE, THE CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD APPEAR TO BE STRAIGHT FORWARD: A CAR PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND STARTED SUDDENLY ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN AND REFUSES TO ALLOW THE DRIVER CONTROL.    INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).  *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*